Svoboda:


Not necessarily so. I have supported Buhari as much as i am supporting Tinubu now, because I love Nigeria. I however, only point out discrepancies where i find them, like in this very case.

You kept deviating to Tinubu vs Buhari, a subject that I am not interested in, instead of talking about the light rail.

You cannot pull me into something I am not interested in.

MajorOvakporaye:


Will you keep shut there!!! Ekperima.

Ur class is way lower than I thought, go play in the sand.

JagabanB:

If it was functioning on a commercial scale, Wike won't make this statement and there won't be need for "fact check".
You folks should more focused on if it will work properly or not.
You all have misplaced priorities alot.

who are the "you folks" and the "you all" you are referring to?

did this happen...."Former President Buhari indeed launched commercial operations of the Abuja light project in 2018, invalidating Wike’s insinuation that there was no previous inauguration of commercial operation of the metro line."

Fact check: Will this your silly investigation put food on the table! 😔 You people should stop this rubbish. Whatever anyone says is of no issue so long as it's not coming from the minister of information or the official government spokesman.

naptu2:
This has already been explained before.

1) Abuja Light Rail was launched by President Buhari in 2018.

2) Trial runs (free ride) began in 2019/2020, but they were stopped due to Covid 19.

3) The facilities were heavily vandalised during the COVID 19 lockdown, such that the trains couldn't move.

4) The vandalised facilities had to be replaced and new security features installed to prevent vandalisation.

5) What's happening now is not a launch of the light rail but a start of commercial operations.

All of these have been covered on nairaland

Some of the people that vandalised the facilities were later arrested by the police. That too was reported on Nairaland.

The trains will run for free for the first two months.
What Wike said is that Tinubu is coming to launch the rail. That's what is being fact- checked.
Stop deceiving the public

slimfit1:
Hausa people just want to rule but don't know what to do when they get to power. That is what annoyed me the most.

Let's Shun Tribalism . I'm not an Hausa or Fulani

Some Non Hausa or Fulani Also Made Mistakes as Rulers .

naptu2:


You kept deviating to Tinubu vs Buhari, a subject that I am not interested in, instead of talking about the light rail.

You cannot pull me into something I am not interested in.

I am also sorry that i cant deny my partisanship and biases just because youre not interesred in Tinubu v Buhari. This is an expansive public forum.

Moreover, the topic isnt so much about the technical details about of the rail project as much as it is about factchecking the politics behind its controversial
relaunch.

Wike should go find fresh projects to inaugurate, rather than seeking to steal someone elses legacy.

God bless us all.

I am totally uninterested in the nonsense politics of Buhari vs Tinubu, I am only interested in facts.

Since that politics is important to svoboda, maybe he'll take the facts that have been presented by Tolu Ogunlesi. (This person vs that person does not interest me and I won't respond to it. You can have that conversation with someone else).

Tolu Ogunlesi MON @toluogunlesi

FACTCHECK:

This is a comprehensive note to provide the FACTS about #AbujaMetro aka Abuja Mass Transit Rail. You won't find all these details in one place anywhere else.

The forthcoming #AbujaMetro event is NOT a "Commissioning." The FCTA is NOT calling it a commissioning—their statement says it is a "Commencement of Commercial Operations."

Key Phrase there is "Commercial Operations".

Between the Commissioning in 2018, and Covid in 2020, the #AbujaMetro ran what you can call a trial service or test-run. (Normal stuff -- Recall that the Lagos Blue Line also did a test-run between February 2023 and September 2023, when full commercial operations kicked off).

#AbujaMetro was commissioned by @MBuhari on July 12, 2018 -- Photos attached. It is the FIRST "Mass Rapid Transit" (MRT) system in West Africa, ahead of Dakar and Lagos. The project was completed by FCT Minister Muhammad Musa Bello: /ngrpresident/s…

Operations were suspended during Covid, and the project subsequently suffered significant vandalisation.

Here's what the then Permanent Secretary, FC, Olusade Adesola said during a visit on October 30, 2022: "You will recall that the project was TEST RUN shortly after it was commissioned and thereafter, the advent of the COVID pandemic resulted in a forced closure and suspension of the operations."

This is what the Director of Transportation of FCTA, Joseph Akinteye said, on August 5, 2023: “Unfortunately, the TRIAL SERVICE ended abruptly in March 2020 due to the advent of COVID-19 pandemic and its extant protocols..."

#AbujaMetro TIMELINE

July 12, 2018: PMB inaugurates/commissions the project -- and trial service / test run commences soon after

March 2020: The trial service is suspended, following the outbreak of Covid-19
vanguardngr.com/2020/11/covid-…

News Story, December 2021: "Abuja Metro Line suspended over vandalism" -- "The Acting Secretary, FCTA Transport Secretariat, Usman Yahaya told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that at the last count, '48 points were vandalised.'"
21stcenturychronicle.com/investigation-…

August 24, 2022: The Federal Executive Council approves a security contract for #AbujaMetro: /OfficialFCTA/s…

August 4, 2023: FCT Permanent Secretary (who's in charge of the Ministry, as Cabinet hasn't been inaugurated yet) formally announces that a N5 Billion Contract has been awarded to CCECC for the repairs / restoration of the vandalized #AbujaMetro infrastructure. He made the announcement at the ceremony to flag-off the repairs (4th photo, attached)
nannews.ng/2023/08/05/fct…
thecable.ng/fcta-awards-n5…

[NB. I believe that this rehabilitation contract was approved by the (outgoing) FEC earlier in 2023. Will get the exact date/details of this FEC approval and share]

August 23, 2023: Two (2) days after being sworn-in as FCT Minister, HM Wike undertakes his first Tour of #AbujaMetro, and pledges to ensure that the rehabilitation contract is fully funded and that the line is back in operation as soon as possible.

October 30, 2023: Federal Executive Council approves N5.9 billion for construction of outstanding access roads to #AbujaMetro Stations leadership.ng/fcta-to-comple…

News Story, December 2023: "Thirteen suspects, 10 of whom were casual workers, engaged by a Chinese company, have been arrested for vandalism of armoured cables and other associated equipment of Abuja mass transit rail. Their arrest was effected by a private guard company contracted to safeguard the infrastructure."
thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023…

January 11, 2024: FCT Minister undertakes Inspection Tour of #AbujaMetro

January 31, 2024: FCT Minister undertakes Tour of #AbujaMetro, to inspect construction of outstanding access roads to Stations (including the access roads to Wupa and Basanjiwa Stations).

May 23, 2024: FCTA Press Statement -- "The commencement of commercial operations of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit System also known as the Abuja Light Rail will now be flagged off on Democracy Day, Wednesday, May 29th, 2024 by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at 1:00 pm."

— Tolu Ogunlesi

JagabanB:

Ur class is way lower than I thought, go play in the sand.

See who dey insult person, ekperima. Person wey dey struggle for inside one room apartment still dey form posh. Miscreant.

turmacs:
Who even takes those one's seriously again? OP please don't bother yourself fact checking those shameless liars, everybody knows that anything that comes out of their mouths is a lie. That was how they came out to lie that AP moller wanted to invest imaginary $600M in Nigeria, if not that mearsk came out to call out their shameless lies, nonsense.

Anyways, what do I know? 🤷‍♀️

Nairalanders please i'm craving fried rice and chicken this Sunday. A want to eat fried rice and chicken with plantain and cold chivita, prepared by a man that wants to sleep with me, I have transport fare.

This thing called tow tow... Do have a blissful knacking

Because you were lucky, doesn't mean the road is safe.

JagabanB:

I took off from Kakuri in Kaduna exactly 8:30pm on Monday, this Monday that just passed, I went to Lokoja through Abuja, I got to my hotel at about 1-2am can't remember the exact time.
You know the reality?
That particular road is flooded with vehicles even in the dead of the night.
That's not the first time I am using that road at night.
You probably haven't been to Abuja or Kaduna that's why you are typing what you are typing.
It's a road I comfortably ply at night if I have commitments to meet up with the following morning.

For those asking the funny question whether this means that the president should commission every road once it has been maintained.

1) This is the flag off of commercial operations, not the commissioning or launching of the line.

2) Obviously it depends on the scale of the project. Did you see the sums that were spent? If something happens to a section of the Third Mainland Bridge and it collapses and people can't use it, then you can be sure that the president will be there to inspect the work and open it when it is completed. Many presidents have done the same.


Anyway, all these arguments are just because of politics, not logic and common sense.

It is under APC that we now have a separate occasion for launching or commissioning, and another one for the commencement of commercial operations.
And their hypocritical followers who before 2015 were so radical they refused to give any breathing space to those at the helm and will mock and disparage any mistep are now so accommodating and understanding that they can even swallow the biggest rock if it is coming from their favourite politicians.
The bar of governance is being lowered and sycophantism and hero-worshipping is now a sign of patriotism.
Una never ready

Svoboda:


Not necessarily so. I have supported Buhari as much as i am supporting Tinubu now, because I love Nigeria. I however, only point out discrepancies where i find them, like in this very case.

how can the reason you love nigeria be because you supported buhari and because you support tinubu? is your love for nigeria supposed to be defined by the support you give to a politician or politicians?

franchasofficia:
Tinubu will fail as a President, not really by his making but because of so many reasons beyond his control:


1.) He forced himself in as President using unnatural means when God did not ordain him to become Nigeria's President.


2.) He masterminded the unjust balkanization of an innocent man's government; Goodluck Jonathan wanted the best for Nigeria and was trying his best but Tinubu sponsored all manner of dangerous propaganda against him just to fulfill his Presidential ambition, and for this, God is not backing Tinubu's Presidency so whatever Tinubu does even if he has good intentions ends up as failure because of the role he played in bringing down Goodluck Jonathan's government


3.) The role his Vice Shettima played in Chibok girl's kidnap, the forces of nature are against him, some of those girls died and their blood is still crying for vengeance.


4.) 2023 was ordained by God for Igbos to produce the President. It was God's ordinance to set Nigeria on the right path to greatness, but Bola Tinubu and INEC joined with Buhari's wickedness and unforgiven heart thwarted that plan God had for Nigeria and so Nigeria will wander in leadership failures until they respect God's ordinance which is for an Igbo man endorsed by majority of ordinary Igbos (not a politician endorsed by Igbo political leaders) becomes President of Nigeria.

I'm Igbo too. But I don't like the fact you're too emotional about this. We're emotionally involved when it comes to playing politics and that's why other people can easily flicker with our emotions.
Tinubu is already there. We have a moral duty to wish him well even though it's obvious leadership qualities is starting to look unpromising. But let him well all the same and stop spilling the bile. It's unbecoming of us

lexy2014:


how can the reason you love nigeria be because you supported buhari and because you support tinubu? is your love for nigeria supposed to be defined by the support you give to a politician or politicians?

Nobody mentioned politicians, and i dont love nigeria bc i support them. I only support President Tinubu as sitting president because i love nigeria.

You cant claim support and patroitism for your country and despise its leaders.

When that route is open, you will see GEJ and probably PMB there as well as BAT. Conception, operation and renewal are all part of the same process.

Nigerians have to get used to the fact that development is a continuous thing. The British underground train system was built under the oversight of successive and different political parties for 50 years ( and it is still in development) but it was opened by one particular political leader at a moment of time.

Nigerians always do zero sum games.

naptu2:
This has already been explained before.

1) Abuja Light Rail was launched by President Buhari in 2018.

2) Trial runs (free ride) began in 2019/2020, but they were stopped due to Covid 19.

3) The facilities were heavily vandalised during the COVID 19 lockdown, such that the trains couldn't move.

4) The vandalised facilities had to be replaced and new security features installed to prevent vandalisation.

5) What's happening now is not a launch of the light rail but a start of commercial operations.

All of these have been covered on nairaland

Some of the people that vandalised the facilities were later arrested by the police. That too was reported on Nairaland.

Thank you 😊

I said it less fully and elegantly than you

[quote author=JagabanB post=130141560]
You also have no idea where I have plied, you just gave a very wrong info about Kaduna-Abuja road and rail, I ask you again, when was the last time such incident happened?
I have been to every stretch of Nigeria apart from Sambisa, I don't share fàke news, I share reality and I can cite examples to you that I have been there.
If you travel like you claim, you won't make such lousy comments about Kaduna-Abuja axis.

Quick question!!.
Why does an airforce helicopter escort the trains between Abuja to Kaduna?.

[quote author=zoomzoom post=130148907][/quote]
How many trains make the journey a day and how many escorts go in a day?

abibun:
Because you were lucky, doesn't mean the road is safe.

The tens of vehicles plying that road comfortably are not lucky, luck don't shine everyday, you can't remember the last time you heard about ugly incidents on that road, so it's not luck.

MajorOvakporaye:


See who dey insult person, ekperima. Person wey dey struggle for inside one room apartment still dey form posh. Miscreant.

I have never owned a one room apartment, everyone is not like you or your neighborhood, grow up.

CheapHomes1:


who are the "you folks" and the "you all" you are referring to?

did this happen...."Former President Buhari indeed launched commercial operations of the Abuja light project in 2018, invalidating Wike’s insinuation that there was no previous inauguration of commercial operation of the metro line."

I can't explain same thing again.

flokii:


Let me not join issues with you.. you've won.

This is the best answer you gave that fool! Who does not know that Abuja-Kaduna route is volatile? The fact that he plied it everyday doesn't mean it's still not volatile.

If it's not volatile, Why does an airforce helicopter escort the trains between Abuja to Kaduna? Apparently, he doesn't know the meaning of Volatility!

They have started with fat check or fact check shit.

I guess the OP deliberately want to whin those descendants of the beast called obidients and they are already foolishly foaming in the mouth like goat that licked water from fresh pressed cassava.

Sense dem no get, character extremely poor, home training non existing and genetically confused mofos.

winterfell007:


I'm Igbo too. But I don't like the fact you're too emotional about this. We're emotionally involved when it comes to playing politics and that's why other people can easily flicker with our emotions.
Tinubu is already there. We have a moral duty to wish him well even though it's obvious leadership qualities is starting to look unpromising. But let him well all the same and stop spilling the bile. It's unbecoming of us

This is not about being Igbo or whatever you think, it's about the truth.

You think leadership is ordinary that you just wish a leader well and the leader excels?



Leadership is spiritual, if you are not ordained to lead the people and you force yourself on the people by all means, take it from me that you will never succeed as a leader because you have no spiritual backing to lead your people.


When God's ordained leader for Nigeria emerges, you will see things falling into places and even his mistakes will turn to fortune, that is how God's ordinance work.


But when you are not the ordained leader, even when you try to do something good, it will turn out bad because you are not ordained to lead the people.

Stupid write up. Did the train work? How many passengers has it carried since you Saud Buhari enter it for show off. Has it been in operation after Buhari enter. I have never seen anyone enter it.
Let's give accolades when it's necessary and everything should not be to criticize

Kukutente23:
It is under APC that we now have a separate occasion for launching or commissioning, and another one for the commencement of commercial operations.
And their hypocritical followers who before 2015 were so radical they refused to give any breathing space to those at the helm and will mock and disparage any mistep are now so accommodating and understanding that they can even swallow the biggest rock if it is coming from their favourite politicians.
The bar of governance is being lowered and sycophantism and hero-worshipping is now a sign of patriotism.
Una never ready

Well the Niger bridge contract was awarded PDP with only drawing that gulp millions of Naira and no single pillar on ground until APC did it. So what about that?

Krankhead:
Well the Niger bridge contract was awarded PDP with only drawing that gulp millions of Naira and no single pillar on ground until APC did it. So what about that?

That's a blatant lie.
1. The pillars were already there

2. A PPP is dependent on the ability of the contractor to source for funds. JB delayed the project based on funds availability just as the Lagos-Ibadan rail

Ofunaofu:
In a futile effort to remain relevant, Wike has now become an arm of the propaganda machinery of the Tinubu administration. 

A machinery built just to spread lies, falsehood, and propaganda 

i don't even know what minister wike is still doing as a PDP member ?
Wike should better go to where his heart Belongs to, it's time for PDP party to boot him out if he refused to decamp, because the more of wike will continue to weaken their party , because he is now a liability to PDP as an opposition political party.

smileyoo:
i don't even know what minister wike is still doing as a PDP member ?
Wike should better go to where his heart Belongs to, it's time for PDP party to boot him out if he refused to decamp, because the more of wike will continue to weaken their party , because he is now a liability to PDP as an opposition political party.

He is obviously a liability to the PDP